WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mike Garcia (CA-27) today voted in favor of H.R. 8282, the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act (ICCA), which passed the House. This bill aims to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and any foreign actor who supports their efforts to arrest, detain, or prosecute protected persons of the United States and its allies.
In May, the ICC filed applications for arrest warrants against Israel’s Prime Minister and Defense Minister amidst ongoing conflicts. The ICCA is intended as a response to protect America and its allies by deterring the ICC from proceeding with cases deemed outside its jurisdiction.
“I’m proud to support this strong response to the ICC’s complete moral failure,” said Rep. Garcia. “On one side of this war are Israel’s democratic leaders, who are fighting to reclaim hostages – including American hostages – and root out terrorists in Gaza. On the other side is Hamas, which began this war with its mass murder, rape, and kidnapping on October 7, and whose leaders pledge to do it ‘again and again.’
“This is a clear case of ‘good versus evil,’ and the ICC requesting arrest warrants for both Israeli and Hamas leaders is a historically grotesque false equivalence. President Biden is right to call the ICC’s action ‘outrageous,’ but this demands more than tough words. Today, the People’s House took tough action to support our greatest ally.”
If enacted, the ICCA would require the president to impose property-blocking and visa sanctions on any foreign person found to be directly engaged in or aiding an ICC case; assisting, sponsoring, or providing support for an ICC case; owned or controlled by someone involved in such activities; or acting on behalf of someone engaged in such activities.
Additionally, it mandates sanctions on immediate family members of those subject to sanctions for their role in an ICC case. The act also rescinds any current U.S. funding for the ICC and prohibits any future U.S. funding for it.
